Tumbling display device

ABSTRACT

A tumbling display device such as for use in providing a moving advertising display wherein an outer display member is rotated about a horizontal axis by a battery driven mechanism carried within the display member. The rotation of the display member is effected as a function of the inertia of an eccentric weight associated with the rotary drive means.

States atet 11 1 1111 3 859 743 a Schoenung Jan. 14, 1975 [54] TUMBLING DISPLAY DEVICE 3,214,854 11/1965 Swan 40/1063 3,231,995 2/1966 Anthony 40/128 [75] Inventor. Alols F. Schoenung, Napervllle, Ill. 3,419,272 12/1968 Miller et n 40/51 X 73 Assignee: Rapid Mounting and Finishing 3,707,050 12/1972 Schoenung 40/128 X p y, g 3,774,329 11/1973 HOIOWltZ 40/128 X Filed: 1 1974 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell 21 APPL 434 20 Assistant Examiner-J0hn F. Pitrelli Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [52] US. Cl 40/33, 40/1063, 40/128,

40/139 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. G091? 11/00 [58] Field of Search 40/128, 139 33 1063 A'tumblmg display devlce such as for use in providing 40/51 39, 218 10631. 272/8 N 8 D a moving advertising display wherein an outer display member is rotated about a horizontal axis by a battery [56] References Cited driven mechanism carried within the display member. UNITED STATES PATENTS The rotation of the display member is effected as a function of the inertia of an eccentric weight associgltlaser ated with the rotary drive means em 3,100,946 8/1963 Swanberg et al. 40/106.31 X 11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures TUMBLING DISPLAY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to display devices, and in particular to tumbling display devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the field of display devices such as used in advertising displays, it has been found that improved visual impact is obtained by effecting motion of the display device. A large number of different devices have been developed to provide such display device motion.

In one form of such moving display devices, a display member is rotated about a horizontal axis. Thus, the display member describes what may be called a tumbling movement providing a continuous rotatably changing display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved tumbling display device which is extremely simple and economical of construction while yet providing a trouble-free tumbling operation.

More specifically, the invention comprehends the provision of a tumbling display device including an outer display member having a center of gravity and support means at opposite sides of the center of gravity, means for supporting the display member for rotation about an axis defined by the support means, a motor including first and second portions, the second portion being rotatable relative to the first portion, means for mounting the first motor portion to the display member for rotation about the axis, and an eccentric weight carried by the second motor portion having its center of gravity spaced below the axis whereby energization of the motor causes the first portion to rotate relative to the second portion with the second portion being maintained substantially stationary as a result of the inertia of the eccentric weight.

In the illustrated embodiment, the outer display member comprises a hollow member with the drive means being carried centrally thereof. The display member may be carried on a suitable hanger for rotation about a horizontal axis. In the illustrated embodiment, the display member comprises a parallelepiped enclosure. The means for mounting the motor stator to the display member may be connected to the display member at diagonally opposite edge portions, thereby serving synergistically as a display member rigidifying means. The motor may be battery operated with the batteries being carried by the motor oppositely of the eccentric weight and coaxially of the rotational axis so as to provide a generally balanced arrangement of the display device other than for the eccentric weight.

In the illustrated arrangement, the motor is fixedly secured to the display member and the motor rotor carries the eccentric weight so that, in the operation of the device, the stator rotates about the horizontal axis with the rotor remaining substantially stationary as a result of the inertia of the eccentric weight connected thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view with a portion broken away to illustrate the arrangement of the internal mechanism; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a display device generally designated 10 is shown to comprise a display member ll carried on a suitable support generally designated 12 for rotation about a horizontal axis to provide an improved display functioning.

In the illustrated embodiment, support 12 defines a hanger having an upper, carrying portion 13 and de pending legs 14 having inturned distal ends 15. The display member illustratively comprises a parallelepiped enclosure having side walls 16 and 17 at opposite sides of the center of gravity of the display member and adapted to pivotally receive the inturned portions 15 of the hanger to permit the display member to rotate about a horizontal axis 18 defined by the support means.

Rotation of the display member about axis 18 is effected by rotation mechanism generally designated 19 including a motor 20 having a first portion defining a stator 21 and a second portion defining a rotor 22. The stator is mounted to the display member by an elongated strut 23 connected to the display member at diagonally opposite edges 24 and 25, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

An eccentric weight 26 is mounted on the rotor 22 so as to have its center of gravity spaced below the rotation axis 18. Weight 26 is preselected to have sufficient inertia to prevent rotation of the rotor 22 when motor 20 is energized so that stator 21 becomes the rotating element of the motor, thereby rotating the display member 11 about axis 18.

As shown in FIG. 3, suitable batteries 27 are provided in a carrier 28 mounted to motor 20 by means of strut 23 for electrically energizing motor 20 without the need for external electrical connections. Batteries 27 are disposed oppositely of weight 26 relative to motor 20 to effectively balance the mechanism 19 other than for the eccentric disposition of center gravity of weight 26 and thereby providing a smooth, continuous rotation of the display member about the horizontal axis 18.

Strut 23 comprises one illustrative means for mounting the drive motor to the display member, and as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the mounting means may take any suitable form appropriate for the selected drive motor. Similarly, the hanger 12 may comprise any other suitable rotatable support means for the display member as desired.

The display member may be made of relatively lightweight material, such as plastic or cardboard.

While the display device of the present invention is extremely simple and economical, it provides an improved smoothly operating tumbling display such as for use in moving advertising devices.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

1. A tumbling display device comprising:

an outer display member having a center of gravity and support means at opposite sides of said center of gravity;

means for supporting said display member for rotation about an axis defined by said support means;

a motor including first and second portions, said second portion being rotatable relative to said first portion;

means for mounting the first motor portion to said display member for rotation about said axis;

and an eccentric weight carried by said second motor portion having its center of gravity spaced below said axis whereby energization of said motor causes said first portion to rotate relative to said second portion with said second portion being maintained substantially stationary as a result of the inertia of the eccentric weight.

2. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said means for mounting the first motor portion to the display member is connected to said display member at portions spaced oppositely from said axis.

3. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member defines opposite sides and said means for supporting the display member comprises a hanger pivotally supporting said opposite sides.

4. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member comprises a hollow enclosure.

5. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member comprises a parallelepiped enclosure. 1

6. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member comprises a parallelepiped enclosure, and said means for mounting the first motor portion to the display member is connected to said display member at edge portions spaced oppositely from said axis. v

7. A tumbling display device comprising:

a hollow display member having a center of gravity and support means at opposite sides of said center of gravity;

means for supporting said display member for rotation about an axis defined by said support means;

a motor including a stator and a rotor;

means for mounting said motor stator to said display member for rotation about said axis;

and an eccentric weight carried by said motor rotor having its center of gravity spaced below said axis whereby energization of said motor causes said stator to rotate relative to said rotor with said rotor being maintained substantially stationary as a result of the inertia of the eccentric weight.

8. The tumbling display device of claim 7 including a battery carried by the device for operating said motor.

9. The tumbling display device of claim 7 wherein with the exception of the eccentric weight the device is substantially balanced about said axis.

10. The tumbling display device of claim 7 including a battery carried by the device for operating said motor, said battery being carried by the motor stator.

11. The tumbling display device of claim 7 including a battery carried by the device for operating said 'motor, said battery being carried by the motor stator coaxially of said axis and oppositely of said eccentric weight. 

1. A tumbling display device comprising: an outer display member having a center of gravity and support means at opposite sides of said center of gravity; means for supporting said display member for rotation about an axis defined by said support means; a motor including first and second portions, said second portion being rotatable relative to said first portion; means for mounting the first motor portion to said display member for rotation about said axis; and an eccentric weight carried by said second motor portion having its center of gravity spaced below said axis whereby energization of said motor causes said fiRst portion to rotate relative to said second portion with said second portion being maintained substantially stationary as a result of the inertia of the eccentric weight.
 2. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said means for mounting the first motor portion to the display member is connected to said display member at portions spaced oppositely from said axis.
 3. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member defines opposite sides and said means for supporting the display member comprises a hanger pivotally supporting said opposite sides.
 4. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member comprises a hollow enclosure.
 5. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member comprises a parallelepiped enclosure.
 6. The tumbling display device of claim 1 wherein said display member comprises a parallelepiped enclosure, and said means for mounting the first motor portion to the display member is connected to said display member at edge portions spaced oppositely from said axis.
 7. A tumbling display device comprising: a hollow display member having a center of gravity and support means at opposite sides of said center of gravity; means for supporting said display member for rotation about an axis defined by said support means; a motor including a stator and a rotor; means for mounting said motor stator to said display member for rotation about said axis; and an eccentric weight carried by said motor rotor having its center of gravity spaced below said axis whereby energization of said motor causes said stator to rotate relative to said rotor with said rotor being maintained substantially stationary as a result of the inertia of the eccentric weight.
 8. The tumbling display device of claim 7 including a battery carried by the device for operating said motor.
 9. The tumbling display device of claim 7 wherein with the exception of the eccentric weight the device is substantially balanced about said axis.
 10. The tumbling display device of claim 7 including a battery carried by the device for operating said motor, said battery being carried by the motor stator.
 11. The tumbling display device of claim 7 including a battery carried by the device for operating said motor, said battery being carried by the motor stator coaxially of said axis and oppositely of said eccentric weight. 